With the Langkawi Travel Bubble in full swing since September 16, other states have begun applying for the same opportunities to open and offer fully vaccinated tourists safe SOP friendly travel destinations in the hopes of reviving the domestic travel sector.
Recently, Penang state has proposed to reopen four outdoor tourist attractions only to fully vaccinated individuals for a test run. Penang Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Yeoh Soon Hin said a proposal was submitted to the National Security Council (NSC) for approval. He said the test run will involve four selected sites initially, and only for three days a week.
“This is only applicable to fully vaccinated visitors who have pre-booked their tickets online prior to the visit,” he said in a statement issued today.
Yeoh said the visitors at each site will be capped at 30 persons at any one time and all visitors will have to comply with Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs).
He said this test run, held in collaboration with the Association of Tourists Attractions Penang (ATAP), is aimed at fine-tuning and improving health protocols at tourist attractions.
The four outdoor attractions involved are The Habitat, Tropical Spice Garden, Penang Tropical Fruit Farm and Penang Bird Park.
Yeoh said the four attractions were selected because they have wide-open spaces to allow social distancing and good ventilation.
Meanwhile, the Perak Tourism Association (PTA) president Datuk Mohd Odzman Abdul Kadir said authorities and stakeholders should begin promoting the state as a safe travel destination to prepare for the end of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mohd Odzman said authorities and stakeholders should focus on domestic tourism in a controlled environment; the state government is preparing to reopen economic sectors with stricter standard operating procedures (SOP), which could revive tourism activities.
“Rebuilding tourism for the future by focusing on ‘domestic arrivals’ is of great importance. Although the tourism sector remains highly unpredictable, we must be optimistic and we must be ready.
“Domestic tourism is the only avenue that industry players can find hope in, to continue their business and provide employment opportunities to laid off staff,” he said.
With Negeri Sembilan expected to transition to Phase Four of the National Recovery Plan (PPN) within a week, according to Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun, Port Dickson, the state’s popular beachfront destination will also be opening up to tourists within the next few weeks.
